Hull History Centre: Papers of Major OA Forsyth-Major U DFM Papers of Major OA Forsyth-Major 1609 - 1971 Biographical Background: Major Forsyth-Major was a prolific but unsuccessful writer who wrote under many different noms de plume including John Beverley, Don Beverley, Guy Beverley, Barry Macdonald, Ian Mac, Ivor McIvor, Randolph Major, and Maxim Major. The only work by him to achieve publication was a collection of lectures entitled Elements of tactics (1916). Custodial history: Donated by the Treasury Solicitor, 1979 Description: The collection contains typescripts of plays and other literary works and a large correspondence with authors such as JM Barrie, Arnold Bennett, John Buchan, John Galsworthy, Thomas Hardy, John Masefield, William Somerset Maugham and George Bernard Shaw. Arrangement: U DFM/1 Literary works, 1910 - 1969 U DFM/2 Correspondence, 1905 - 1965 U DFM/3 Genealogical material, 1609 - 1964 U DFM/4 Photographs and images, 1591 - 1961 U DFM/5 Miscellaneous, 1746 - 1956 U DFM/6 Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major, 1843 - 1971 U DFM/7 George Bernard Shaw, 1914 - 1963 Extent: 5 linear metres Related material: U DP/187 Papers of John Masefield U DX/217 Records of Hull Fabian Society Access conditions: Access will be granted to any accredited reader U DFM/1 Literary Works 1910 - 1969 N.B. 'John Beverley', 'Don Beverley', 'Guy Beverley', 'Barry Macdonald', 'Hector Macdonald', 'Ivor McIvor', 'Ian Mac', 'Randolph Major', ,Maxim Major', are noms - de - plume of Major O.A. Forsyth – Major U DFM/1/1 'Maxims'. nos. 1- 1800 c. 1957 Being a collection of potted biographies, quotations, apophthegms and bons mots. Ms. are in pencil 2 files page 1 of 32 Hull History Centre: Papers of Major OA Forsyth-Major U DFM/1/2 Ts. 'Bogarts Brood', a comedy in 3 acts, by John 1936 - 1960 Beverley. 3 ts. copies- 2 corrected and 1 final 3 items U DFM/1/3 Ts. 'The Boomerang', a comedy in 3 acts, by Barry c. 1935 Macdonald 1 item U DFM/1/4 Ms. 'Charles Rex', a chronicle play, by John Beverley 1965 - 1968 Ms. in pencil in 2 parts. Drafts and retyped scenes. Preface, ts. and 3 copies. Original version, pts 1 and 2. Long version in 3 parts, 2 copies, 1 corrected. Shorter version, 3 corrected copies. Abridged version, 2 copies 3 files U DFM/1/5 Ms. 'Chatterton (The Blue-Coat Boy)', a play by John 1950 Beverley. Ms. in pencil; 1 corrected ts. copy and an abridged version 1 item U DFM/1/6 Ms. 'Christmas Tide in Jingle Dell', a sequence of poems mid 20th cent. by John Beverley. Ms. and 3 corrected ts. copies 4 items U DFM/1/7 Ts. 'Cupid and the Myth', a comedy in 3 acts, by Ian Mac c. 1935 Slightly altered and re-titled 'Cupid and the Law', a matrimonial frolic in 3 acts, by Ivor McIvor (1 ts. copy) 2 items U DFM/1/8 Ts. 'Dick Turpin (The Flying Highwayman)', play in 4 1944 - 1960 acts by Don Beverley (1 ts. copy) (Circa 1960) With ts. earlier corrected versions 'The Great North Road' and 'Lucifer and Miss Lilywhite'. Also ms. in pencil of 'The Great North Road') (1944 - 1955) 4 items U DFM/1/9 Ts. 'Downing Street', a play in 4 acts, by Barry c. 1925 Macdonald 1 item U DFM/1/10 Ts. 'Escape to Happiness, (Otherwise Windsor 1953 Rhapsody)', a play in 3 acts, by John Beverley 1 item U DFM/1/11 Ts. 'The Fortune Hunters', a farce in 3 acts, by John 1951 Beverley 3 items U DFM/1/12 Ts. 'The Georgian's', a play in 3 acts by Don Beverley c. 1955 2 items page 2 of 32 Hull History Centre: Papers of Major OA Forsyth-Major U DFM/1/13 Ts. 'The Ghost Ship, or the Rape of the Virgins', a play 1953 - 1955 in 3 acts, by John Beverley (Two versions) 6 items U DFM/1/14 Ms. 'Hannibal', an episodic drama in 3 acts, by John c. 1955 Beverley. Ms. in pencil and corrected ts. With, 'Hannibal. A Scenario founded on the Author's Play of that name' (2 ts. copies) 2 items U DFM/1/15 Ts. 'Havoc over Europe', an account of his experience in c. 1935 the First World War, by Major Forsyth-Major 2 items U DFM/1/16 Ms. 'King Ironsides', a chronicle play, by John Beverley 1948 - 1966 Ms. in pencil. 2 corrected drafts. Preface, ms., ts. and 3 copies. Original version, 2 ts. copies. Shorter version, 3 ts. copies. Discarded scenes 3 files U DFM/1/17 Ts. 'The Marchioness of Biarritz', a comedy in 4 acts, by c. 1935 Randolph Major (altered to John Beverley) 1 item U DFM/1/18 Ts. 'Marooned, or Glorious Geraldine', a light comedy in c. 1935 3 acts by Barry Macdonald 2 items U DFM/1/19 Ts. 'Masks, or the Judge's Dilemma, or The Conspiracy c. 1935 of Silence', a play in 3 acts by Hector Macdonald With corrections 1 item U DFM/1/20 Ts. 'Mayfair Merry-go-round', a comedy in 3 acts by 1954 John Beverley. With corrections 2 items U DFM/1/21 Ts. 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' (Alternative title, 1930 - 1949 'Donegal's Red Mop') a) A novel by Guy Beverley (altered to Don Beverley and again to John Beverley). Ms. in pencil. Original version, 460pp., 1 ts. copy. Longer version, 634pp. Final version, 1064pp., corrected, 2 ts. copies. Discarded pages (1939 - 1949) b) A play in 4 acts, by Hector Macdonald (Original version, 2 ts. copies, 1 corrected. Final, shorter version, 1 ts. copy) (1930's) 1 bundle U DFM/1/22 Ts. 'Money Masters', a comedy in 3 acts, by Barry c. 1935 Macdonald 2 items page 3 of 32 Hull History Centre: Papers of Major OA Forsyth-Major U DFM/1/23 Ts. Our Evelina or Windsor Rhapsody, a play in 3 acts 1947 - 1948 by John Beverley. Ts. of a shorter version 3 items U DFM/1/24 Ts. 'The Overman', a play in 4 acts, by Maxim Major c. 1935 (altered to Barry Macdonald, and again to Don Beverley) 1 item U DFM/1/25 Ts. 'The Phantom Legions: An unfinished symphony of c. 1935 war, 1914 - 1918', a novel by Guy Beverley 1 item U DFM/1/26 Ts. 'The Reluctant Prince', a chronicle play (about 1966 Richard Cromwell), by John Beverley. Preface, 2 copies, one corrected. Drafts, typed and corrected 4 items U DFM/1/27 Ms. 'Richard the Bold', a chronicle play with a preface 1947 Ms. in pencil and 1 ts. copy 2 items U DFM/1/28 Ts. 'The Royal Squire of Hursley', (Richard Cromwell 1954 and the Major family), an account by John Beverley With corrections 2 items U DFM/1/29 Ts. St. Benedict's c. 1935 a) A novel by Guy Beverley b) A comedy in 3 acts (Two versions, one with an epilogue) 1 bundle U DFM/1/30 Ts. 'The Song of the Mountains, or Tallula', a drama in 3 1930 - 1951 acts, by John Beverley. 1 ts. copy of original version. 2 ts. copies of later version. German translation by Ada Black-Klein 3 items U DFM/1/31 Ts. 'The Squire of Tong, or The Haunted House', a play 1934 - 1955 in 3 acts by John Beverley 3 items U DFM/1/32 Ms. 'The Storm', a drama in 3 acts, by John Beverley 1944 - 1960 Ms. in pencil. Original version, corrected version and final version; 1 ts. copy of each 3 items U DFM/1/33 Ts. 'Tangles', a play in 3 acts by Barry Macdonald c. 1935 1 item page 4 of 32 Hull History Centre: Papers of Major OA Forsyth-Major U DFM/1/34 Ts. 'The Toy-Maker of Holywell' (formerly, 'Tom Hood'), c. 1910 a fairy play in 4 acts, by John Beverley With corrections 1 item U DFM/1/35 Ts. 'Trelany', a play in 5 acts, by Maxim Major c. 1910 1 item U DFM/1/36 Ts. 'Windsor Rhapsody, or Flight to Elysium', a play in 2 1953 - 1968 acts by John Beverley. Original version, 2 ts. copies, corrected. Final version, 2 ts. copies 4 items U DFM/1/37 Ts. 'The Wonder Boy of Bristowe', a play by John 1953 - 1969 Beverley (1953). With corrections and a ts. shortened version, 'The Wonder Boy of the Western World' (1969) 5 items U DFM/2 Correspondence 1905 - 1965 U DFM/2/1 An original bundle of letters to O.A.Forsyth-Major 1905 - 1912 From his cousin Anna Major (4); father (16); Robert Vivian (6); Milton Sills (2); Harry Dundas (2); N. Carmichael; E.R. Southwell (2); W Langley, Hubert Montgomery and W. Tyrell all three of the Foreign Office; R.A. Griffin His efforts at a stage career in America; and; while in Corsica, to obtain the post in the Colonial Service. Serves on barque 'Marlborough Hill' 38 items U DFM/2/2 A concertina file containing letters and postcards to O.A. 1923 – 1965 Forsyth-Major from: a) Viscount Allenby (2), 24 July 1935 b) Viscountess Allenby (2), 17 & 19 July 1936 c) Sir James M. Barrie, 30 September 1935 d) Duke of Bedford (2), 18 July, 18 October 1963 e) Arnold Bennett, 21 April 1925 f) Lady Bradford, 26 September 1932 g) John Buchan, 3 January 1935 h) Lady Bulfin (wife of Lt-General Sir Edward Bulfin?), 12 June 1936 i) Viscount Chandos, 15 November 1962 j) Winston Churchill, 13 June 1936 k) Sir Geoffrey R. Codrington, 7 March 1959 l) W.M.